Feeding mechanism for conveyers.



H. D. PRATT.

- PEBDING MEGHANISM FOR GONVEYERS. v

y APPLICATION FILED ULY 7, 1911. 1,O23,()36y Patented Apr. 9,1912.

.-3 SHEETS-SHEET l.-

man a( HL'D. PRATT. PEEDING MBGHANISM 'POR GONVEYEBS. PPII'OATION FILED JULY '1, 1911.

1,023,036. Patented Apr. 9,l 1912.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

a simple andeffective mechanism for yfeed- 10,'

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HOWELL D. PRATT, OF'PHILADE-LPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIG-NOB, TO LINK-:BELT COMPANY,- OE CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS.

FEEDING' MECHANISM FOR CONVEYERS.

Specification of Letters'Patent.

Patented Apr. 9,1912.

Application meaauly 7, 1911. serial Naf 637,310.

certain Improvements in Feeding Mecha? nism for Conveyors, of which the following is a specification. l

The object of myinvention is lto provide ing paper, packages, boxes, or similar material to elevators or conveyers. f The invent-ion is especially applicable to feeding newspapersor magazines to conveyers. .v

By my invention the elevator can run o continuously and the carrierscan be loaded .with papers, or other material, vautomatically, by the movement of a lever after the papers have been placed on a suitable feed-` ing table.

In the accompanying drawings :-Figure l, is a side view of my improved feeding device for conveyers; F ig. 2, is a plan view; Fig. 8, 'is an'end view, looking inthe di- \rection ofthe arrow 3,'Fig. 2; Fig.' 4, .is a

sectional plan view on the line 4 4, Fig. 1; Fig. 5, isa perspective -view of the reciproeating feeding table, Fig. 6,2 is a sectional v'iew on the line 6*-6, FigLfB; and Fig'. 7,

is a view of a modification of a detail.

A is an elevator having two chains a, a, in the present instance diagonally arranged, and secured to the chains at -intervalsfare the carriers B having two sides b, b and one end b; the carriers being open at one side to receive the material'to be conveyed. The bottom of each carrier consists of three slats b2, b2, b3; the central slat b3 being narrow and shaped so as to allow the carrier to pass when the reeiprocatingfeeding table is projected. `Each carrier is connected to the chains by brackets a', as shown. The car-` riers are properly spaced apart so thatthe feeding mechanism can receive a load, deliver it to a carrier-and return.

C is a frame having rails c, on which are mounted the wheels d, d of the reciprocating feeding table D. This table isV forked at the outer end; thek two prongs d being spaced suiiciently apart to allow them to pass' into the spaces between the centrall slat -bs and the sidevslats b2 of the carrier. This forked portion of the slide carries the bun-l dle of papers, in the present instance, into the path'of the conveyor, and the carrier,

as it moves upward, lifts the bundle of paperso the table, which is thenv retracted; the said shde remaining in its retractedposition until another bundleI of papers has forward onto the carrier, and there is. af fixed stop c` on the frame C so that all that i is ncessaryis for the operator to place the bundle of papers on the forked portion of the table D against the stop o" and the rear stop d2, thus bringing the bundle into p roper alinement ylwith the sides ofthe carrier.

E is the operating shaft, which is actuated through va sprocket wheel and chaing'motion being im arted to the chain froinone of thel chains ci) the elevator when the said chain'is vshifted into posit-ion.v Under normal conditions .the chain is out of osition so `that the reciprocating'feeding ta le will remain invthe retracted position.

Secured to the shaft E is a hub F having a lever f pivoted thereto at f', and the short a`rm of lthis lever is in the pat-h of al lug g on the sprocketywheel Gr and thev other arm of the lever-is in position to be actuated by an arm '71. of--a bell crank lever H pivoted at 7L. The long arm ofthe lever H is connected by a link to one arm of thetrip lever H which has a roller h2 at theouter end of its long arm which extends into the path of the carrier, B, so that, when there is a bundle. of papers/ on a carrier, before the particular carrier reaches the loading mech anism the operating mechanism forthe reciprocating slide is thrown outof gear by the bundle ofpapersfonthe carrier striking the roller on the arm of the trip lever, so that the carrier, with the bundle of papers, will, pass the "reciprocating slide even ifthe bundle of papers is on the slide, and the mechanism shifted so that the slide will automatically deliver the bundle to the carrier and the mechanism will not operate until the firstl empty carrier comes into positien. .l i j s I is the operating arm, which, in the l present instance, is operated by hand, al-

though it may be operated by the foot by connecting it vto asuitable .treadle This operating arm is-mounted on a shaft I adapted to bearings in the frame C, and on the inner end of the shaft. is an arm 1' connected by a rod z" to an arm 7.: on a rock .shaft K adapted to bearings in the frame C. An arm 7c on this rock shaft is connected by a link n to the swinging arm N pivoted at n. to a bracket C carried by the frame C. On the shaft K is a weighted 'lever K and pivoted to one arm of this lever is a latch 102 having a hook k3 at its outer end Iwhich engages the pin m on the lever M, which is pivoted at m to the frame. This latch is thrown out of enga-gement with the pin m by a pin m2 on the lever when it is moved to its extreme position in one direction. The long arm m3 of the lever Mis connected by a' rod p to anl arm P on the shaft -E and this arm P has a counterwcight 79. The arm P is slotted so that the ed to properly timethe movement of the table to the carrier. It will be understood that the arm P makes a complete revolution when the lever is thrown into gear and the shaft E turned. The long arm m3 is extended in the form of a bar m4 which is rigidly secured in a socket in the arm and is connected to the table by a link g. As the shaft E makes one revolution it turnsv the lever Mon its pivot and a forward and return motion is imparted to the reciprocating table D.

On the lower end of the rocking frame N is a sprocket wheel G and a chains passes around they sprocket wheels G and Gr. Located atintervals on the chain are projections s in the form of sockets which. when the rocking frame is moved outward, project in the path of the lugs a2 on one of the chains a of the elevator A; motion being thus imparted fromthe conveyer to the chain s by the engagement ofthe lug withy the projection and the chain s is moved in the direction of the arrow by turning the shaft Ea complete revolution, and consequently, imparting a full reciprocating motion to the table D. It will thus be seen that the mechanism is absolutely under the control of the operator, yet t-he operator cannot actuate the mechanism when a bundle ofy papers is on the carrier of the elevator.

The operation of the mechanism is as follows :-If it is desired to convey bundles of periodicals from one portion of a building toanother, the elevator is so4v constructed as to extend from one section of a building to another and the mechanism for supplying the elevator with bundles of vpaper is .located at one or more convenient points. The devices for removing the bundles of paper can be located .at any number of points desired. If there are two or lmore feeding devices, then they are so located and the mechanism soarranged that it will i ing handleI is then shifted so as to throw the lower'end of the swinging arm N toward the elevator, thus bringing one of the projecting sockets s of the chain s into the path of the lug a2 on the chain a of the elevator A, and when the lug contacts with the socket motion is imparted to the chain s and this motion is transmitted through the sprocket wheel G (which is loose on the shaft) to the hub F through the lug g and lever f, and as the arm P is secured to the shaft E the chain s will turn the arm one full revolution, as the arm P is connected to the arm M, which,'in turn is connected to the table D, and a forward motion will be imparted to the table carrying thebunrdle of papers from the frame C into the path of the upwardly moving carrier B, and as the slatted bottom of the carrier will pass the forked portion of the table it will lift the ybundle of papers oli' the forked port-ion of the table and will convey it to any point desired. The mechanism is so timed that as soon as the bundle of papers is moved from the forkedportion of the table, the table returns to its normal position and is locked in this position as the pin m on the arm M engages the hooked portion of the arm 7c and retracts the lower end of the arm N so that theprojecting socket s on the chain s 'will be clear of a shifting lug a2 on the conveyer chain. At the same time the operating handle I will be returned to its normal position and the mechanism cannot be set in motion unt-il the operating handle is again shifted, when the above described operation is. repeated. l

In some instances I may make the pro'-` jection s on the chain s in the form illustrated in Fig. 7; the cross bar s2 being arranged to be engagedby the lug a2 and rollers s3 being arranged to travel on rails fixed to the frame N.

In some instances I may provide counting mechanism, as illust-rated in Fig. 1, consist- Y' ing of the ordinary counter W having the customary recording mechanism therein and a lever w pivoted at w and connected 4by a rod lw2 to the recording mechanism;

shaft., a sprocket Wheel thereon, a rocking frame also having a sprocket Wheel` the chain passingaround the ,two sprocket Wheels, said shaft belng connected' to the means for operating the table, and means for shifting the rocking frame, so as to bring the chain in gear with the conveyer torotate the shaft and to reciprocatethe table. p

2. The combi-nation ofl a conveyer, car- I rie-rs thereon, a frame, a reciprocating table mounted on the frame and adapted to carry bundles of paper or other material into the path of the carriers, a shaft, an arm on the shaft, mechanism connected to thevarm and to the table, so that, on the rotation of the shaft, the table will be reciprocat-ed, a sprocket wheel loose on theshaft, a hub fast on the lshaft andadapted to be engaged by the sprocketwheel, a swinging frame, a-

sprocket Wheel on the frame, a chain passing around both sprocket Wheels, projec* tions on the chain, with lugs on the conveyer 4arranged to engage the projections on the chain, and means formovingthe framecar- ,30 rying the sprocket wheel toward the'conveyer, so that the lug on the conveyer will engage the said chain and 4rotate the shaft to cause the table to be reciprocated.

' 3. The Icombination of a. convever, carriers4 thereon'A having slatted bottoms, a

frame, a reciprocating table having a forked portion adapted to extend into the path of the carriers and so arrangedl as to allow the carriers to pass and remove bundlesv of pa- 40 'pers or other material from the forked'table,

a shaft, an arm on the shaft, a hub Secured to, the shaft and having a projecting portion, a sprocket Wheel on the"`shaft and having a lug engaging the projecting portion 'of the hub, a rocking frame, a s rocket wheel, the chain passing aroun both sprocket Wheels and having one or more projections, series ofmlugs on the conveyer, Witlnnieans for moving the rocking frame o so as to bring thev projections of the chain into the path of the lugs on the conveyer in order to impart motion to the chain and4 to the sprocket wheels, which, in turn, rotate the shaft, causing the table to reciprocate. 4. The combination of a conveyer, aseries of carriers on the conveyer, a frame, a recip! rocating table having a forked portion adapted to extend into the path of the carriers so` that the carriers Will transfer material from the table. af shaft, an arm on the shaft, a lever, a rod connecting thel frame with the said lever` means connecting the said lever with the table, a hub secured to *the shaft, a lever pivoted to -the hub, a sprocket Wheel loose on the shaftl and having .a lug kadapted to contact with one arm of the said lever, a rocking frame, asprocket wheel on the frame, a chain passing around both sprocket Wheels and having one or more ing` frame so that, on the operation of theA hand lever, the rocking fame will be 'thrown into posltlon that its chain will be lmoved with the conveyer.

5. The combinat-ion of a conveyer, carriers thereon, a frame, a reciprocating table mounted thereon and adapted to be moved into the path of the carriers, a shaft, an arm on the shaft, a lever, a rod connecting the shaft With-one arm of the lever, and means connecting thc said ,arm with'the reciprocating table, a hub on the shaft, a leven pivoted to the hub, a sprocket Wheel loose on the shaft and having a lug adapted to engage one. arm of the lever. a pivoted frame. e, sprocket Wheel on the frame, a chain passing around both sprocket Wheels, a projection onthe chain, a. lug on one of the chains of theconveyer arranged to engage the projection on the said sprocket chain, a rock shaft having an arm, a link connecting the said arm with the pivoted frame, a second arm on the rock shaft, an operating` handle connect-ed to the loosely mounted arm for moving the frame int-o and out of operative position, a third arm on the rock shaft having a hooked`latch, two pins on the rst mentioned lever, onel pin engaging the hooked portion of the latch to draw the frame 'out of operative position, and the second pin adapted to throthe latch out of engagement with the first mentioned pin.

G. The combination in a conveyer consisting of chains and carriers mounted thereon, said carriers .havingl slatted bottoms, a frame at one side of the conveyor, a reci}.i1oc.ati1ig` table having a forked portion adapted to extend into the path of the carriers so that the carriers will lift material to be conveyedy from the table` a shaft` an armv on the shaft. a three-armed lever, a rod connecting the three-armed lever with the rod on the said shaft, means connecting the long arm of the said lever With the table, a hub secured to the shaft, a lever on the hub. a`

sprocket wheel loose on the shaft and having` a lug adapted to engage one arm of the lever` a trip lever pivotalljY mounted so as to extend into the path of the carriers and to be actuated b v the material carried b v the carriers, a vbell crank lever connected to the trip lever and arranged to actuate the lever on the hub to throw it. out of the path of the lug on the sprocket Wheel, a swinging arm, a sprocket wheel thereon, a chain passing around both sprocket Wheels, and projections on the chain arranged to be engaged by lugs on the conveyer, with means for operating said swinging frame.

7. The combination of an elevating conveyer, a series of carriers thereon, said carriers having slatted bottoms, a frame atone side, rails on the frame, a table having Wheels adapted to travel on the rails, said table being forked at its outer end and adapted to extend into the path of the carrers so that the carriers Will remove material placed on the table, a shaft, an arm on the shaft, a three-armed lever, a rod connecting the long arm of said lever with the arm on the shaft, a rod and link connecting said arm to the table, a rock shaft having a hooked arm arranged to engage a pin on one of the arms of the three-armed lever, a pin on the other arm adapted to throw the lever out of engagement With the said first men tioned pm, a rocking frame, a sprocket Wheel on the rocking frame, a sprocket Wheel loose on the first mentioned shaft, a chain passing around both sprocket Wheels and having projections, lugs on the conveyer arranged to engage the said projections on the cham, an arm on the rock shaft, a link connecting the arm with the rocking frame, a third arm on the rock shaft, an operating .hand lever connected with the said arm, a hub secured to the shaft and having means engaged by the sprocket Wheel so that, when the sprocket Wheel is turned, the shaft will turn With it and reciprocate the table, the table automatically stopping at its normal position, 4due to the moving of the rocking frame away from the conveyer.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification, in the presence of two subscribing Witnesses.

HOWELL D. PRATT.

Witnesses:

WM. E. SHUPE, WM. A. BARR. 

